Former WASP guitarist Chris Holmes has been diagnosed with throat and neck cancer, his wife and manager have confirmed.

As a result, he canceled a scheduled appearance on the Monsters of Rock cruise from February 9, but hoped to be back in action in time for a scheduled Canadian tour in May.

“Recently Chris was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer,” Cathy-Sarah Holmes wrote on Instagram, “but the medical team assured us there had been no metastases and that is good news. He will need to start seven week treatment as soon as possible. I know how important the Monsters of Rock cruise is to Chris and the group, but Chris’ health is what we need to focus on right now. She added: “The best way to keep Chris positive is to continue to focus on the upcoming Canadian tour, the shows we have in September and the UK tour in October. Remember Chris is strong and he is a fighter and he will come back stronger than before.” She thanked fans for their continued support while requesting confidentiality over the next few weeks, concluding, “Chris will come back to you stronger and ready to burn the stage.”

In response to the announcement, WASP chief Blackie Lawless released a statement of his own, saying, “The entire WASP family is optimistic about a positive outcome regarding Chris’ diagnosis. I certainly wish him the best.”

Holmes was a member of the band from 1982 to 1990 and again from 1996 to 2001. The acrimony between him and Lawless has become iconic; last year he said classic rock that the only reason he joined was because “it was a way for me to get out and see the world again”. He added: “I was also told that a lot of things I hated about the band had changed, and that Blackie was easier to live with. It was crap. Nothing had changed.”

Last year it was the subject of a documentary film Chris Holmes: Wicked Man. A trailer can be seen below: